Apparatus for sealing containers



Aug. 5, 1947. R. E.. LOWEY ET AL APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. l, 1942 Aug. 5, 1943.,

R. E. LowEYla-r AL APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTINERS Filed Aug.- l, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. E. LOWEY Er AL 2,42567 APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed Aug, l, 1943 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug., 5, QQ R E, LOWEY ET AL 2,425,067

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APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS I y Filed Aug. l, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet '7 faz/enfans 33 R. E. LOWEY ET AL APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Aug. 5, 1947.

14 sheets-sheet 9 Filed Aug. l, 1942 m--I-m Aug.. 5, 1947. v R. E. LowEY Er AL 2,4255067 APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 1, 1942 14 sheets-sheet 1o Aug. 5, 1947. R; E. LowfY ET AL 2,425,067

APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 1, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet l1 Aug' 5, 1947- R. E. LowEY ET A1. 2,425,067

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APPARATUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. l, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 13 K Aug. 5, 1947. R. E. LOWEY ET AL 2,425,067

APPARTUS FOR SEALING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. l, 1942 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 atenied ug. 5, i947 APPARATUS Foa sEALING CONTAINERS Roy E. Lowey, Evanston, and John L. Ferguson,

Joliet, Ill., assignors, by direct and mcsne assignments, to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application August 1, 1942, Serial No. 453,286

4 claims. '(01.93-7) This invention relates to apparatus for sealing containers and more particularly to machines of this type adapted for sealing the topi and bottom closure flaps of four-sided, tubular-type cartons having a plurality of closure flaps at eachend thereof which are adapted to be folded downwardly into overlapping position and sealed together.

One object of theipresent invention is to provide a compact, unitary form of sealing machine in which the same driving means and supporting framework are employed for sealing both ends of the carton so that it can work in cooperation with another machine or machines for filling the cartons with desired products.

Another object of the invention is to provide efficient mechanism for receiving an expanded tubular carton, closing its bottom flaps by suit-k able adhesive and retaining the bottom flaps inv contact until the adhesive is set; removing the bottom-sealed cartons from the machine and conveying them to a desired point, as for example, to a carton-coating machine where the cartons can be coated with a continuous film of a therinoplastic coating compositionyreceiving cartons that have been coated on both insideV and outside surfaces with a thermoplastic coating composition and have been subsequently filled with the proper amount of the product which it is desired to maintain as nearly as possible in a hermetically-sealed condition; so handling the unsealed cartons that the top aps Will be accurately folded down into flat, overlapping relation and maintained in such relation while thermoplastic material on said flaps is softened; then allowing the thermoplastic material to cool to cause adherence between the ilaps; collecting any excess thermoplastic material that has escaped from between the overlapping flaps; and finally, after the cartons have been effectively sealed, removing them from the machine.

Other and more specic. objects ofthe invention will become apparent upon reading the specifcation which follows' in conjunction With the drawings.

In ythe drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention: i'

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view in elevation being taken substantially along line i-Iv of Fig. 2, illustrating the vprincipal frame Workof the machine and also illustrating certain essential operating partsr such as the holding elements for filled and sealed cartons and the blower mechanism for removing bottom-sealed cartons from the machine;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the machine substantially along line 2--2 of Fig. 1, illustrating principally the means for rotating the turret and for driving the conveyors feeding cartons to and taking cartons away from the machine;

Fig. 3v is an enlarged fragmentary detail View taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 illustrating mechanism by which the rotating turret is rotated in a step-by-step motion;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view of the gearing for producing the step-by-step motion illustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevational view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, illustrating the controlling parts for properly delivering Vfilled cartons to the turret member preparatory to sealing such cartons;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view taken substantially along line i--c of Fig. 5 illustrating the intermittently operating devices actuated by the presence of a carton in position to be transferred to the turret;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail view taken along line 1 1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary -top View illustrating the mechanism, also shown in Fig. 5, for bringing filled cartons into the machine preparatory to sealing the top iiaps thereof;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view takenalong line 9 9 of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows showing another View of the filled-carton feeding mechanism;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line lll-IQ of Fig. 9 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the mechanism and controls for folding down three top flaps of the carton;

Fig'. 1l is an enlarged fragmentary detail view taken partly in section along line l I-Il of Fig. 9 looking'in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the mechanism for folding down and holding in temporary position the first three flaps on an empty carton;

v Fig. 12 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken along line l2-i2 of Fig. 14, illustrating the manner f mounting one of the heating elements arranged to Contact the top flap of a filled carton while in closed position so as to soften the thermoplastic adhesive material with which the carton is preferably coated prior to being filled with the desired commodity;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken along line l3--l3 of Fig. 12 looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating a combined means for applying pressure against the sides of the filled carton adjacent the/top edges and for collecting excess thermoplastic material that might be squeezed out from between the flaps and might otherwise run down the sides of tli'e carton; g

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken along line Ie-M of Fig. 12, illustrating the mounting of the combined pressure-applying and excess thermoplastic-collecting elements;

Fig. 15 is a. sectional detauview taken along line IS-l of Fig. 12, illustrating one ofithe elements for applying heat to the top of the carton and the manner of mounting this element'onthe machine;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary detail sectonalview, illustrating particularly the flap-folding element and itscontrol for folding downwardly the underlying aDS 0f an empty carton on bothA the forward and the trailing side edges thereof preparatory to sealing the bottom of an empty carton while same is in an inverted position and also showing how such parts are coordinated in'movement with the means for handling filled cartons;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary detail view, illustrating the progressive positions of the mechanism for handling empty cartons, holding-the bottom flaps of empty cartons in sealed position and later-removing the cartons from the handling means;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary detail sectional 'view taken along line lS-I of Fig. 17 looking in the direction of the arrow illustrating one of'the'elements for holding an empty carton; in an inverted position so that the adhesive between thefclo'sure flaps is allowed to set, preparatory to ejecting-the empty bottom-sealed carton from themachine;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary detail sectional View, taken along line ISB-i9 of'Fig. 18, illustratingthe holding mechanism for the empty `bottom-sealed carton as it appears when looking toward 'the center of the machine;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary top planview ofthe element illustrated in Fig. 19; y i

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line 2 l-ZI of Fig. 19;

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken along line 22-22 of Fig. 17, illustrating the glue rolls in the process of applying adhesive "to one of the bottom flaps of the carton; Y

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary detail sectional'vi'ew taken along line 23-23 of Fig. 22 showing the positional relationship between the folding-down mechanism for the underlying flaps and theglu'e rolls for applyingadhesive to both sides of aside nap which is to be disposed between the underlying flaps and the other side flap;

Fig. 24 is a fragmentary detail perspective view showing the mechanism as it appears "justafter the underlying flaps have been'folded'down 'and `iust prior to the passage of one of theV slideiffa'ps in between the glue rolls; K y j I l l Fig. 25 is a fragmentary detail sectional `view taken along line 25-25V of Fig. 17, illustrating the relationship between the upper and lower parts of the machine in which the empty cai-tons are bottom-sealed on one level and the filled cartons are top-sealed on another level, and also showing details of the filled and sealed carton ejecting mechanism for removing cartons from the revolving turret;

Fig. 26 is a fragmentary detail perspective View, illustrating the master control cam, having cam tracks thereon for effecting proper movement of the heating plate and clamping jaws for sealing the top flaps of a filled carton;

Fig. 27 is a fragmentary detail plan View of certain 'of l-theuparts"illustrated in iFig. 25, Ashowing the mechanism for ejecting illed and completely sealed cartons from the machine turret after the "clamping jaws have been opened;

Fig. `28 isa fragmentary detail sectional View taken along line v28-28 of Fig. 25 looking in the directionof the arrow, illustrating the top and looi'tf'irfriicfon'veyi'ngv belts for conveying away from itlfe'machine theflled and completely sealed cart'n'sand'tl'fe'arrangement of the conveyor belts with respect -tothe ejecting mechanism;

Fig. 29 is a perspective view, illustrating the construction of the down-folding mechanism for the top flaps of a filled container but without s'hovvirig'anyv off'the 'controls for such mechanism; and

Fig. i3() is a perspective view, illustrating the construction of the elements for folding downthe bottom 'naps of an empty'carton while same is in an'invert'ed position.

The machine of'the'lpresent invention has particular adaptability in packing operations forl` the packaging offresh fruits, vegetables, fish and the like products which are-intended for sale in frozen conditi'om-'although vit is. also applicable to the packaging of Acerealsland many other products, especially'thos'e which are subject to deterioration through change'in moisturecontent. A principal feature of the machine is that it is adapted to seal'suchproducts -in cartons which have been completely coated n with a suitable thermoplastic material so that they will be retained therein without necessitating any additional wrappers, liners or 'special boards, the use of which increases the cost offpacking. Suitable cartons can be iirst bottom-sealed with ordinary glue adhesive on the machine/of the 'present invention, can afterward becoated both inside vand out with suitable thermopl'astic coating vmaterial'loy means of equipmentjnot herein illustrated, and'then, after the coated cartonshave been filled, this machine will receive tlfeca'rt'ona close their'top flaps, soften the thermoplastic material with which the top fiapsare coated, exert'sucient pressure 'onthe top'iiapswhilethey are retained'in fiat, overlapping relation 'to' callse the thermoplasticrnaterial tofflow and tbfilli the crajcksjandcrevices between and'adjacent tothem, collect any excess thermoplastic material forced from between the 'flaps which `vwould otherwise render the carton unsiglitly, `-c'o'oltll'e sealed cartons, and'lnall'y, after they' have 'beencooled discharge 'them vpreparatory top'ackingin shipping containers for distribution" to the market.

y 4Referringumore particularly to the drawings, and especially'to 'Figure 1 thereof, the'machine of thepresent'invention'includes a base `3 I, a vertical'hollow center 'column 32 supported'by the fbase 3|, and a turret indicated generally at"33 mounted for 'rotation "on 'column 32, turret 33 consisting of a lower section '3'4used in sealing the'botto'm iiaps'of'empty cartons, andan upper section 'whic'h isadapted to'heat'seal cartons which-havebeen coated with thermoplastic material and filled with the product being packaged.l Immediately above the upper section 35'is a stationary element 36 axially mountedon shaftSZ and having a circular flange provided with cams for controlling the motion of the heat-sealing elements as will be described below. A top'or cover member 3l rests on the upper portionof column 32 and is additionally supported atgits edges by a plurality of vertical posts 38 secured to the base 3l, which in this instance, are sections of steel having a channel cross-section. Y

The turret 33 has a hub portion 39 whichiits closely around shaft 32 and which is supported at the desired elevation by thrust bearingl collar 40 attached to the shaft by means of cap screw lll. Extended outwardly from the upper en d of hub 39 is a horizontal disc l2 having around its circumference an upstanding flange 3 which'supports a plurality of heat-sealing units, whichare generally designated at M. In the present instance, there are twenty-four such heat-sealing units spaced equally around flange 133. Depending from disc l2 is a second ring-like support 45 having equally spaced around its lower .edge twenty-four blocks 46, which are forms overwhich the empty tubular cartons are placed for the bottomesealing operation. These blocks-136 are inclined outwardly at a small acuteangle to the vertical and are located between the heat-sealing assemblies at so that the bottom-sealed cartons may be blown off the blocks llt as indicated in Figure 1. For this reason each of the blocks d5 has lan air channel 41 and air is forced therethrough by means of blower t8 drivenvby motor 49. Since the heat-sealing operation'causes a certain amount of fumes to be emitted, it is desirable to ventilate the air space beneath the cover 3l and air from this space is drawn through the holes 59 in the upper portion of column 32 into the interior thereof and thence through pipe 5l to the blower 158. By this means, both Vventilation and carton blow-off are accompli-shed at the same time.

In this machine the movement of the turret is an indexed movement which rotates the turret 33 in a clock-wise direction a definite number of degrees, in this case 15 degrees, and then causes it to rest or dwell for a denite period of time while certain of the openations to be described takes place. This movement i-s created by Geneva gears, the driven gear 52 extending horizon-tally from the lower part of hub 39. The circumference of gear 52 has a conguration best seen in Figure 4, which figure also illustrates the manner in which it cooperates with the driving Geneva pinion 53. Figure 2 illustnates the mechanism for driving pinion 53 and also the arrangements for actuating the conveyors used to supply cartons to and remove them from the top-sealing portion of the machine. A horizontal platform 54 is provided immediately above base 3 I, upon which are mounted not only blower i8 and motor 49 but also a second motor 55 and a gear-type speed reducer 56 driven by motor 55 by means of pulleys 5l and belt 58. Extending vertically from speed reducer 55 and best seen in Figure 3 is a shaft 59 carrying sprockets Bil and Gl and at it-s upper end the driving pinion 53 of the Geneva movement. The sprocket Se cooperates with chain 62 to drive sprocket S3 and this in turn operates the mechanism for removing sealed cartons from the miachine as will be described in detail below, and similarly sprocket lil drives sprocket lil by means of chain 65 and this in turn controls operations in connection with the folding of theflaps .of 1

cartons in both the upper and lower sections and the entrance of the cartons to the upper section. It will `be noted that all of these operations are driven by the same prime mover and that they can, therefore, be accurately timed with respect to the movement of the turret, regardless of the Y' speed of operation.

Figures 1 and 2 also illustrate the means used for driving the glue rolls 66 for applying glue to one of the bottom flaps of the cartons on the lower section. This is done by means of la belt 61, or the like, extending around a suitable, large sectional pulley 68 attached to the lower portion of element d5, thence under idler pulleys 69 and up and over pulley 'lll which is on the same shaft as glue roll 65. In Figure 1 is also shown the arrangement for supplying heating current to the heat-sealing plates 1l associated with the topsealing units 45. This is accomplished by supplying current to a pair of slip rings 'l2 mounted on but insulated from column 32, from which a pair of brushes 13 supported by a bracket 14 from the gear 52 picks it up and supplies it to cable 15 extending Vin the vicinity of one of the heat-sealing units t4, as will readily be understood by those skilled in the art. This current can easily be supplied =to the heating device associated with each of the heat-sealing units 44 from that point, such as iby a double loop arrangement, so that it is deemed unnecessary to illustrate this feature.

The detailed construction of the bottom-seal` ing mechanism and its mode of operation will now be described: As, already pointed out, the lower section 34 is provided with a plurality of blocks d6 at regularly spaced intervals about the periphery thereof. One of these forms and its associated equipment are illustrated in Figures 13 to 21, to which reference is now made. Figure 13 is a side view of one of the blocks tt which is see curely bolted to or otherwise carried by support i5 at a small angle from the vertical. Each of the blocks lli has a rod or bail 8o mounted on each side thereof which is pivoted at its lower end for backward and forward swinging movement and threaded at its upper end for the reception of nuts 8l which hold a cro-ss head 82 in the desired position over the top of block 4t. Cross head 82 is provided axially with a bore hole for reception of a shaft 83, at the upper end of which is mounted a cam roller 84, the purpose of which is to cooperate with the cam track 92 (Figure 18) in a manner which will be described below. Also mounted on shaft 83 immediately below cross head S2 is a somewhat elongated rotatable compression jaw 85 bearing cam rollers 36 at its extremities and having a downwardly facing cam surface of the inclined plane type which cooperates with a similar upwardly facing cam surface on compression pad 87. Pad 87 has substantially the same dimensions as the bottom of the cartons to be sealed and is provided with lateral projections `88 having grooves therein so that it is adapted to slide upon bails 8@ although it is urged in a generally upward direction by means of pad lift springs S? bearing on collars t secured to bails 33 at the desired point. The cam surfaces associated with members 85 and 8l' are so arranged that when jaw 35 is in the position shown in Figures 19 and 20, pad 8'! is urged upwardly and out of Contact with the top of block 't6 while rotation of jaw in a counter-clockwise direction through an angle of somewhat less than will cause the pad 8? to be forced downwardly against the top of block 46 and held in that position. Pad ill is also provided at its inner edge with two depending Vextensions 9i for the purpose `of holding the rear edge of the vcarton to be glued so that it will be square.

The cam track 92 which controls lthe 'forward and backward `swinging movement Yof bails B and the nap-holding apparatus just described is inverted U-shape in cross sectionand ismounted on the lower side-'of cam track support @3, which has the configuration indicated in dotted lines on Figure 17 and is in turn supported bytwo of the vertical channel iron posts Sii-already mentioned. The shape of camV track 92-as seen from above is indicated in'Figure 41'7 and it will be noted therefrom that at the positions designated A to D inclusive, this t-rack is relatively close to the axis of rotation while at positions EV and F it is relatively distant therefrom. In other words, those bottom-sealing units in positions A to Di inclusive, have their flap-holding assemblies swung back from the blocks-d6 associated therewith into the position generally indicated by the dot-and-dashline on Figure 18, while between positions D and E the bails B2i and the assembly carried thereby are swung into operative position in axial alignment with the blocks |56. turret `movesand a given unit passes from position E to position F, `the outermost of the cam rollers `86 is engaged with the stationary locking cam 94 secured to post V3-8 and the compression jaw'85 ls rotated ina counter-clockwise direction, thus clamping pad 81 against flaps of a carton on block e6 which have previously been folded and to which adhesive has been applied in a manner to be described.

Following this clamping step, pad Si remains under pressure while the block 46 passes successively through positions F, G, H, etc., until position U is reached and the roller 84 is about to enter the other end of the cam track S2. As it moves to position V, the inner of the cam rollers 86 comes in contact with the unlocking cam 95 projecting downwardly from cam track supp-'ort 93 and jaw 85 is moved in a clockwise direction, whereby pad 8l is released from the flaps of the carton on block @6. Between position V and position W the `nap-holding assembly on balls 8E) 'is started back to its retracted position and in position X is completely out of the way so that the blower 48 shown in Figure l can by forcing a stream of air through the opening il in block 45 cause the completely bottom-sealed carton to be automatically blown off into a conveying tube (not shown), thus allowing the next position A to be used for the placing of another empty tubular carton to be bottom-sealed over block d6.

As stated in the preceding paragraph, position A is the one in Vwhich the cartons are placedby hand on the blocks de. In the machine vnow being described by way of example, the construction of these blocks is such that they are adapted to receive tubular cartons of the form illustrated at |60 in Figure 30, and they are placed upon the blocks with theii` bottom flaps extending in a generally upward and outward direction. Each of the cartons is provided with a. leading end wall flap a trailing end wall ap |2, an outer side wall nap W3 andan inner side wall flap Ille. As the turret 33 moves so that the carton passes from position A to position B, no operations are performed on any of these flaps; but upon movement from position B to position C, three separate operations are carried out: namely, (l) the iiap ||l| is folded down into its final position; (2) flap |02 is folded down into a corresponding position; and (3) the nap |03 is urged As the outwardly iinto a position such that it is ready to pass between theA glue rolls 66, which are adapted to applyedhe'sive to both sides thereof. This last operation is achieved by means of a guide rod IUE-attached to the glue roll support bracket |06, asbest `shown in Figure 16, although it also `appears on Figures 22 and 24.

The otheil 'operations are carried out by means of lef-more `or --less conventional type of Oldng device illustrated generally at |01 on Figure 3G, but best shown in Figures Y22, 23 and 24. The operative parts -of the folding device |81 are mounted in a slot |68 in the depending portion |69 ofen-'appropriate bracket ||0 secured at its upper end to the -cam track support Q3. The moving folding. mechanism includes a small block adapted Yto slide to and fro within the slot |08, block having a depending plate v| |2 secured to each side thereof, the edges of the plates H2, whichlrs't come in contact with the flap being appropriately `rounded off as shown in Figure A23. A ilap-tucking member ||3 is swingably' mounted on an axis H4 on plates ||2 and thls-tucker ||`3-also carries between its side parts a l"roller |-|5which is adapted to roll within the 'slot |08 and when the entire device s in its usual 'rest positiomto enter an upwardly extending portion Iii/of -Slot |68 so that tucker I I3 is raised to the position shown in Figure 23. This is the position in which the flap-folding device just described -rei'nains during the time that the turret is being maintained at one of the Xed positions ir'liits cycle'. When turret 33 moves, however, so that ya block d6 and the carton supported thereby passes from position B to position C, the flap |0| of this carton first engagesthe edges of plates ||2 so-that it is folded into the desired position. Immediately thereafter, V.and still during the transition period, the plates H2 and all of the movable apparatus associated therewith is moved to theleftas shown on'Figure 23 by means of rod |11, whereby tucker ||3 is caused to swing downwardly upon the outer edge of flap |92, as shown in the middle portion of Figure 30, so that it also is tucked-beneath the lower edges of plates ||2. This condition persists until position C has been reached and the rod I is moved in the opposite direction so that the operation can be repeated on the next carton. Bar ||8 is secured at oneend to .plates lli-in Substantially horizontal position so that the flaps IUI and |62 will remain in their folded position after the folding apparatus has returned to its original condition and also serves to hold themin shape from position C to position D as will be described below.

Obviously, the 'motion' of rod must be timed precisely with the motion of the turret -and this is accomplished by means of an appropriate cam arrangement driven from sprocket 65, which has alread'ybeen described. Referring now to Figure 5, ltvwill be seen that sprocket 64 drives a vertical shaft ||9 and thus a cam |20 which is mounted onthe eXtreme upper end of shaft I9, the outer contour of cam |20 being shown in Figure 8. The vcontour of cam |20 is followed by roller |2| on an arm |22 which is inturn mounted on a vertical cam shaft |23. Also mounted on shaft |23 at the lower end thereof is an arm |24 which is connected to the end of rod as shown in Figures 9 one end secured to post 38 and the other to the juncture of rod ||1 and arm |24 as shown on Figure 16. It will be seen from the above that in .position C the end wall flaps and |02 have y been folded down and the side wall nap |03 folded outwardly for passage through the gluerolls.

During the passage from position C to position D, the only operation which takes place is the application of adhesive to flap |03 and this is done in a conventional manner as shown in Figures 16, 22 and 24. The upper and lower glue rolls 66 are mounted for rotation on glue roll support |06 secured to cam track support 93, the lower glue roll 66 being driven by pulley 16 by means of belt 61 from member 68 supported on the turret 33. The glue rolls 66 are, of course, caused to rotate simultaneously 4by the meshing of the gears |26 associated with each and the glue to replace that used is fed to glue pot |21 in which the lower glue roll 66 continuously rotates by conventional means (not shown).

During the time the carton remains at .position D, as shown on Figure 16, the folding of the side wall flaps |03 and |04 takes place. Since flap |03 has been coated with glue on both sides by passage between the glue rolls, this flap is first folded upon the flaps |0| and |03 which have been held in Iposition by rod H8. This folding operation is carried out by means of a pair of fingers |26 which are pivotally mounted -on bracket |21 attached to post 38. This operation is illustrated in simplified form at the left-hand portion of Figure 30 which shows the shape of the fingers |26 an-d the horizontal bar |28 mounted upon them, which comes in contact with the outer side wall of the carton along the upper edge thereof so as to assist in making a square corner. Immediately thereafter, flap |04 is folded over upon fiap |03 by means of a rod |29 mounted on pivots |30 which are in turn secured to the supporting member |3 As the rod |29 moves downwardly, and before it reaches the end of its travel, lingers |26 are moved back out of the way so that full contact between flaps |03 and |04 can be obtained. Obviously,

these operations must be timed accurately with f respect to the turret motion so that these ele- As shown in Figure 5, a bevel gear |32 is mounted upon shaft ||9 and this in turn drives bevel gear |33 mounted on horizontal shaft |34, at y the other end of which are two cam elements |35 and |36. The contour of cam elements |35 land |36 can best be seen in Figure 11. Cooperating with the periphery of cam |35 is a roller |31 mounted adjacent one end of an elongated member 38 having a slot therein, through which shaft |34 extends. The other end of member |38 is secured to :a rod |39 connected by link |40 to the shaft |4| upon which fingers |26 are mounted. Adjacent roller |31, member |38 is provided with an extension |42, upon which a coil spring |43 attached at its other end to a bracket |44 on member |3| exerts a force urging roller |31 against the surface of cam |35 at all times. It will be seen that the arrangement is such that member |38 and rod |39 are maintained in the position shown with fingers |26 bearing upon the top of flap |03 during a part of the cycle, but that when the cutaway portion of the cam surface is reached, these 10 fingers |26 is adjustable for various conditions. Another view of the ngers |26 and associated parts is shown in Figure 23.

The operation of rod |29 can best be seen in Figures 11 and 16, from which it will be apparent that rod |29 has an upwardly extending part |45 rotatably attached at its end to one end of a push rod |46 which is slidably mounted in a bracket |41 extending from member |3|` The other end of rod |46 bears a roller |48, which is in contact with the periphery of cam |36 at all times due to the tension in spring |49. It will be apparent that this arrangement is such that during most of the cycle, rod |29 is in its raised position and that when it is desired to fold flap |04, cam |36 causes rod |46 to move to the right and rod |29 is thereupon caused to swing downwardly so as to fold ap |04.

As the carton under consideration moves from position D to position E, it will be seen from Figure 17 that the cam track S2 curves outwardly, thus causing the entire flap-folding mechanism previously described mounted on bails 86 to move to a position in axial alignment with the block 46 upon which the carton is mounted, and that this action takes place with suflicient rapidity so that the folded flaps approximately retain their positions. Then, as previously described, upon motion from position E to position F, one of the cam rollers 86 comes in contact with the locking cam 94 and the depending portion 9| of pad 81 squares up the inner upper edge of the carton. Also, as will be seen from Figure 16, the outer upper edge of the carton is squared up at the same time by means of a plurality of spring lingers |50 mounted on a support |5| secured to channel iron post 38.

By the arrangement hereinabove described, the flaps constituting the bottom of each carton being passed through the operation are properly folded, glued and held in the proper arrangement with square corners and are so held by compression pad 81 for a time sufcient to allow the adhesive to set. The remainder of the bottom-sealing step has already been brought out, but briefly stated, it consists of the raising of pad 01 between positions U and V by contact of one of the rollers 86 with unlocking cam 95, the swinging back of the flap-holding mechanism between positions V and X and the blowing-off of the bottom-sealed cartons at position X as best illustrated in Figure 1.

As already stated, the present machine is particularly adapted for use in connection with a process involving the coating of the bottomsealed cartons with a suitable thermoplastic composition such as one having particularly good moisture vapor-proofing properties, filling the coated cartons with the product to be packed and then top-sealing the lled cartons. The coating and lling operations can be carried out by any suitable means and form no part of the present invention. The top-sealing operation, however, is also performed on the present machine, an important advantage thereof being that the bottom-sealing and top-sealing operations take place at exactly the same rate, thereby assisting in keeping the entire packaging line moving at the desired rate of production.

The thermoplastic-coated lled cartons are introduced into the top-sealing section by means o-f a belt or chain conveyor i60 which is driven by shaft |34 and, hence, ultimately by prime mover as already described and as illustrated generally in Figure 2. This is shown in more detail in Figure 16 which shows the pulley |6| mounted on shaft |34, over which lthe conveyor belt |50 is disposed. It Wil-l 'be understood,4 of course. that there is asimilar pulley', notshown, at the other end of the conveyor which is suitably supported. Shaft |34 is-mounted for rotation in suitable bearings |62 and |63 formed in the sides of supporting member |3| which isiasubstantially horizontal inverted channel iron section secured at one end to vertical post 30 and at the other to suitable supporting' means; This construction is shown in cross-section inY Figure 9, which also illustrates the carton guide strips |04 which hold the cartons in line moving in the direction ci one of their narrow panels along with the conveyor, In order that the pulley |6I may receive the conveyor belt |60 movingalong the upper face of channel |3|, a hole |55 isprovided as shown in Figure 8.- From that point on, the cartons are moved by means of the pressure exerted on them by the following cartons until they come in contact with a trip member |66, which, When actuated by the presence of a carton, starts the carton through the entrance mechanism to one of the top-sealing stations on the turret.

It is apparent that the entrance mechanism must be timed with the turret motion so that if a carton has not co-me in contact with trip |66v by the time a certain portion of the cycle has'bee'n reached, it Will be Withheld until the proper portion of the next cycler is reached. Referring now to Figures and 6, when trip member l 65 is moved to the left by an entering carton, this causes `slrait |51 to move so that link |68 is also moved to the left and the bar |69 hingedly attached to the end thereof is drawn back out oi contact with the clutch latch |10. Shaft |61 is mounted on suitable bearings Hl attached to a supporting'member |12 Which also includes an exten-sion |13 -for slidably supporting arm4 |09', the Whole being rigidly secured to vertical channel member 38. Also, this entire device is urged by Weightl |14 which is-held in fixed position with respect to shaft |01 by arm |15 and collar H0 into a position of readiness to be actuated by a carton passing from conveyor belt |30. Clutch latch is free to rotate through a small' angle in a slot |11 in Vthe upper face of a rotatable member |18 axially mounted on shaft |10 but not directly driven thereby. The axis of rotation of latch |10 is deftermined by a depending pin-like portion |19 which cooperates with a corresponding hole in member |10( Furthermore, latch |10 is gently urged by means of spring |80in counter-clockwiseI direction, although when it is in contact with rod Hl, it assumes the position shown' yin Figure 6 against the action of spring |80. Member |10 is held in position by the-immediately under'- lyi-ng collar member ttl which is keyed to shaft H9 by means of key |82. Pin |19 has a depending portion |83 having a cross-section as shown in Figure consisting of a sector oi less than 180. When latch |10 is in the position'shown in- Figure 6, there is no connection between members |`18and |3| and the latter rotates While the former remains stationary. W'hen a carton has actuated trip-'member |-00-,`hovvever, and latch |10 is urged toV the position shown in Figure 7, the depending member |183 is free to ente-r the slot i804 provided in the upper portion of member |8| whereby members |10` and` |8I are caused to move in synchronism through one complete revolution. Cbviously, if slot |84 `is not in the proper position for member |83 to enter it, there will be a Vdelay appears.V` When member |110A is thus caused to rotate, this motion is transmitted through the upstanding pins to the'immediately overlying cam plate |86, which contains in its upper sur face cam1 slots for the purpcseof controllingthe.

mechanism forcing the carton which actuated the trip member l'into the entrance mechanism. The contour of the cam slotv|81in cam plate |85 isjfollowed by afroll'er |83 at one endof an arm |895 which extends from a sleeve |00; mounted for rotation about avertical axis. Another arm |91 also extends from sleeve |90l and through link |02 is adapted to. actuate the slide member |53v which is mounted for reciprocating horizontal motion in grooves |95 in plates |95 which haveztheir upper surfaces substantially in line Withl the bottom of the cartons entering the mechanism; At the other endl of the slide member "|83" ismounted the carton-pushing device which consists essentially, as Wil-l be observed from Figures 8, 9, l0 and 1l, of a vertical plate ISB-havinga cut-out portion toavoid interferencewith the trip member |06 adapted to come in contact with the side wall' ofthe entering carton secured to member |93 by means of a vertical web L|91 at right-angles to both of these elements and adapted to operate in the slot E98 separating the plates |95. A` second vertical plate` |99 extends at right angles from plate |06 so aseto prevent ladditional cartons from entering the space behind plate L when the latter'is in operation. Fronti-,hef above, it-will be apparent that anef- .cient mechanism has been provided for timing preciselyth'emoment at which each carton begins its travel through the nap-folding devices to be described and Vinto the top-sealing mechanism.

The path-followed by the cartons to bev topsealed is shown by the arrows in Figure 8%-, and it will! be apparent therefrom that the entrance mechanism has been describedfor placing filled cartonssuccessively and at a predetermined point in the cycle in position to be moved directly into oneof the heat-sealing units 44.* Certain flapfolding operations, however, are carriedout during' this motion, and' one of them, viziy the folding of the trailing end wall l'ap is initiated just before this motion begins. The relationshilr` of these op erations is illustrated in simplied form in' Figure 29, which shows how' the trailing end-'wall flap 200 is' folded down by tongueV 20! leading end? Wall hap 202 is folded down as the carton moves underthe curved strip 20'3, underlying side' Wall flap 204 is folded over flaps 200 and 202by curved strip 2:05, and, n'ally, side Wall flap 203 is folded upon flap 204 by member 201 as the station in which the carton has been inserted moves to the next position by reasonoi the motion of the turret. The first three of these stepscan best be observed from Figures 8, gland 10.

Tongue 20| issWin-gably mounted on a shaft 208 Working ini' bearing supports 200 so that it is adapted to foid flap 200 when moved downwardly as already described. The required motion is achieved'by means of' arm 2 |0f'on one end of shaft 208 linked to a rod 2|| which is substantialiy vertical `and which is actuated by one end of lever 2PZ; Lever 2 t2: is swingably mountedy at itsot'her end on aV bearing |Il3v extending from supporting member' I3I (see also Figure 16) and carries at an intermediate' point arollerl 2 l 4 Working on the cam 2 |-5 mounted-on shaft |30-, Tongue 20| is normally urged? to its `downward position by'means of spring M6 (Figure 59' cooperating with arrn` 2| 1 also mountedE on shaft 20B,` so that roller ZH and lever until such time as the cooperating relationship 75, 21|2'fw-il1alWays-move-in accordance Withthe cam 

